It's natural to wonder why the game doesn't have planes and infantry along with ground vehicles like Battlefield or Arma 2. In this case I think having to be constantly wary of aircraft, bazookas, and high explosives would create balance issues and detract from the fun. It would be a shame to see the emphasis go from tank battles to dogfights, for example.
Graphics
While WoT is several steps down from the latest FPS releases in terms of graphics, the tank models and the ballistics are quite convincing. Portions of the environment are destructible, although it's still a long way from the extensive damage that can be done in BF: Bad Company 2. An effort has been made to include some physics in the game, but tanks still seem glued to the ground. They move slower going uphill, but they can't drive off cliffs, they're never tipped over by explosions, and they get stuck on little bits of terrain that appear passable. As big as some of the maps in the game are, I'm sure even bigger maps with more players would be welcome.
Match Types
At the moment WoT has only one match type, which is blend of last-man-standing and capture-the-base. To win one team must eliminate all enemy players or capture their flag, which is done by moving into its proximity. Your tank does not respawn while in the match, but you can leave the match after you've died and take a different tank from your arsenal into another match, minimizing the down time. Nevertheless, the lack of additional game types is serious shortcoming. The word is that a king-of-the-hill match type in the works.
Matchmaking
If WoT has a fatal flaw, it's surely the game's sketchy method of forming teams for random battles. Vehicles are divided into 10 tiers not unlike the levels of other games, as well as weight and class. Although the tanks and maps are from WWII, teams are not representative of historical factions, so both sides have a mixture of German, Soviet, and American tanks.
The problem is that the game regularly places you in matches where you are little more than cannon fodder for heavier, higher-tier tanks. A medium tank can do almost nothing to a heavy tank two tiers above it, and yet this is a common result of the matchmaking system. Having to hit an enemy a dozen or more times to take them out while they need only hit you once or twice is just poor game design. This is compounded by allowing 5 or 6 SPGs per side in some games, which makes them overwhelming. Matchmaking needs a major revision, even if it means players have to wait a little longer to get into the battle.
Clans and Platoons
WoT gives you a couple of ways fight alongside your friends. With a premium account you can form a 2 or 3-person platoon that can go into random matches as a group. You can also create clans and take on other clans, but this requires pre-made teams. Only one person needs a premium account to form a platoon, but it's unfortunate that there is no easy way for 4 or 5 friends to play together.
Pricing
True to it's F2P label, WoT has a number of subtle ways to keep you from enjoying the game too much without spending money on it. An assortment of things, including premium accounts, can be purchased with in-game currency that comes in the form of gold. F2P games always come down to the details of what your have the option to buy, and how much of an advantage it gives you. WoT treads dangerously close to "pay-to-win," particularly since gold is required for the best ammunition in the game. Gold can also relieve persevering grinds for the credits to purchase higher tier tanks, and fully trained crews are available for a price as well. Premium accounts receive a bonus of %30 on both XP and credits earned each match.
The Bottom Line
To WoT's credit, there really isn't anything like it on the market right now. It takes high-energy tank combat with simple controls, mixes in a helping of old-school simulation flavor, and makes it highly accessible to anyone with a desire to blow things up. Sadly, matchmaking is a mess and the pricing is questionable. They're definitely onto something with this concept, but it isn't fully realized. Along with tighter matchmaking, it deserves bigger maps, larger matches, and more play modes. WoT has struck a chord with quite a few gamers, so improvements may well be on the way, and until then there's some quick fun to be had with this title, at least when you're lucky enough to get into a match where you're not ridiculously outgunned.
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